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TISLR (Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research) is the most important international conference in Sign Language Linguistics and the official research meeting of the Sign Language Linguistics Society.

This is just to remind you that the deadline for submissions of abstracts for TISLR 9 (Theoretical Issues in Sign Language Research 9; 6-9 December 2006, Florianópolis-Brazil) is November 30, 2005.

Paper proposals are being accepted for the 14th Annual Interdisciplinary German Studies Conference, March 17-19, 2006 at the University of California, Berkeley. The conference theme is Ossi Wessi: 1989 and beyond.

This conference aims to explore historical, cultural, political, linguistic and literary movements occuring in and around the landscape of German Reunification. In January 1989, Erich Honecker stated, ''Die Mauer wird in 50 und auch in 100 Jahren noch bestehen bleiben, wenn die dazu vorhandenen Gründe noch nicht beseitigt worden sind.'' On November 9, 1989 the Berlin Wall came down and Europe as we knew it ceased to exist. The turmoil of the succeeding 17 years has brought many changes. From the fall of the Russian communist regime to the creation of the EU, the world has become a different place.

How has language changed? In what way has German literature and/or its reception been effected by the fall of the wall? What effects did Nov. 1989 have on the political landscape of Germany and/or nations behind the iron curtain? How has the landscape of film in Germany changed?

We invite scholars from all disciplines to submit paper proposals in German or English responding to these or similar questions related to Germany, German speakers and life in Europe from 1989 to the present. Possible topics include but are not limited to:

-The (Dis)Integration of Germany -Evolving Germanic Semantics -Literature after 1989 -Linguistic approaches to Reunification -Portrayals of the Wall in film and popular culture -Teaching of Deutsch als Fremdsprache -German as a foreign language -''Ostalgie'' -Changes caused by or to migration; Changes in migration -Economic/Political effects of Reunification

Forward abstracts of no more than 400 words, in either German or English, to backmanberkeley.edu. Deadline: Dec. 15, 2005.

For further details, or questions please contact Donald Backman at backmanberkeley.edu.